


Forgotten Chapters

by Alexanda (Doire)



Category: Journey to the West
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-21
Updated: 2009-12-21
Packaged: 2017-10-04 21:36:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,106
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/34369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Doire/pseuds/Alexanda
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They were on the road for many years. This is one of the eighty-one calamities that somehow escaped earlier recording.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Forgotten Chapters

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Thia](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Thia).



Editor’s note:  
There are many renditions of Xuánzàng's journey to the West, 西遊記, the most complete now ascribed to the scholar Wu Cheng'en. His work can be found in English [ here](http://www.chine-informations.com/fichiers/jourwest.pdf).  
The well know popular English translation had to be much abridged. These are chapters which did not appear in the published volume.

 

* * *

 

It was late spring, snow still lay in deep shadowed hollows, but the trees were in full leaf and the murmuring of insects filled the air. The travellers crested the pass and skirted steep mountainsides as they wound their way down past a secluded valley beneath a lowering summit. Sandy gazed at the peak and asked Monkey if he know what its name might be.

“I have heard,” said Monkey “that the Empress Mountain is near.  Malika Dhuri who guards the land.”

“It looks peaceful,” said Sandy ”perhaps our Master can rest here a while.”

On the one side untilled fields were returning to lush vegetation. On the other secluded paths wound into the burgeoning woods. The bird song was echoed by the tinkling of bells just at the edge of human hearing.

As Monkey and Pigsy debated the best road to take, three mounted warriors jogged down the road and past Tripitaka’s party.

Monkey at once leapt to stop them. ”Hold hard now and show some respect to the Holy Priest. You can’t push us to one side like that. Where are you going so furiously?”

“Out of our road, peasant,” they replied and that was enough for Monkey.

See how he leaps up and lands amid them swinging his staff. In moments they were lying on the ground submissively abasing themselves.

“We carry messages from our lord to his sovereign. It’s a hard day’s riding to get though this valley before nightfall. We scatter food as offerings but we do not stay.”

“Credulous cowards! I have seen nothing to harm you here. Be off and take word that the great Tripitaka will expect a welcome there on his journey to the West.”

“We advise you not to linger any longer than you must.” And they speed off in a shower of small stones and gravel echoed by low thrumming chimes from deep in the woods.

“Credulous is right,“ commented Sandy to Pigsy, but Pigsy merely grunted. “Master,” said Sandy, “this seems to be a suitable place to rest and recover. If you agree we should go down into the valley to seek shelter.”

Tripitaka, being always easily persuaded was about to agree when Pigsy burst out, ”I can’t do it. How can you bear them? It’s driving me mad and my head aches so.” He cradled his head and looking round spotted an old tumbledown shack. “I’ll wait for you here and guard the road.”

Tripitaka was loath to let one of his disciples stay in such a hovel. “See, the roof is fallen in. How can you stay?”

“It’s better than you think,” the Pig replied: “There is food here, old clothes on the bed and wine in skins.”

Tripitaka’s mood changed. “It is not seemly to steal from farmers, you pilfering monster.”

“But Master,” said Sandy, “ the house is clearly deserted. Though there is food, it is old and musty.”

“Let him stay Master. Do you want him to be moaning at us all the while? This is a pig-sty – quite suitable for a pig.” Monkey gazed around. “We won’t be far. I can see a temple just there in the valley bottom.” He led the white horse off saying over his shoulder, ”don’t eat too much. Don’t alarm any travellers and if the owners come back you must offer profound apologies and restitution.”

Pigsy snarled that he had been an officer in heaven and needed no instruction in manners from an upstart ape as he disappeared inside.

The other pilgrims stepped of the road into the forest. As they did so the sound of bells surrounded them.

Tripitaka slipped from his horse to walk through the trees. Monkey strode beside him and Sandy followed with the White Horse. Tripitaka stopped suddenly and bowed to a shadowy form silently standing by the path. ”I am on a mission to bring back scriptures from the West. I would be grateful for your hospitality for myself and my disciples.”

There was no answer save the unceasing tolling of bells which, almost, seemed to have words hidden within. As Monkey started to upbraid the figure, Tripitaka reproved him saying, “he prays, he meditates, he does not hear us. We will continue on to that building where we may find shelter.”

At the entrance to the low, wooden structure there was a large bell. Monkey groaned to see it but took the hammer and struck a resounding blow.  The sound grew and grew until all three held their ears in distress. Monkey took his staff from behind his ear and was about to smash the bell when three gaunt old men appeared. The bell fell silent.

Tripitaka again bowed low and asked for lodging and refreshment. They were welcomed extravagantly; the white horse was stabled, each traveller was taken to a room and then led back to eat in a communal room.  The food was sumptuous - Monkey laughed to think of Pigsy in the hovel – but old and bitter tasting. “The master is truly a holy man to be able to give thanks for this meal,” he said to Sandy.

The so-called meal over, Tripitaka went to talk with the leader of the community, while Monkey and Sandy followed the river to the valley bottom. “I shall starve,” said Monkey, “How do they live here?”

“They are holy men. I too, shall spend some time in meditation.” Sandy settled down on the narrow river beach, looked inwards and dismissed Monkey from his mind.

“At least you won’t realise how nauseous you feel.”

No reply.

“Don’t we have anything better to do?”

Nothing.

“How can you do this when the bells are so loud?” Monkey jumped up. “They are deafening now. This was how Pigsy felt… No, is my Master punishing me? What have I done to deserve this?”

See how Monkey runs, stumbling, to find Tripitaka. Tripitaka, too, is meditating in his cell when Monkey bursts in and demands to know why he being punished.

“Foolish Ape! You were not, but you must learn not to disturb me in my prayers.” Tripitaka recites the band tightening spell and Monkey howls in pain. “Be still and learn patience.” And with that he is released. “We stay three days and then resume our journey. Patience”

A chastened Monkey leaves Tripitaka reciting a mantra, the drone of his words mingling with the omnipresent susurrus of the bells.

Monkey tossed and turned on the hard bed of his cell. At last he had had enough and touching each of the bells in his room he silenced at least them and fell asleep. It seemed but a moment before he woke to see a dark figure looming over him.

“The bells must sound. Do not silence the least one of them.”

It was a long night. If you want to know what happened in the morning you must read the next chapter.

The next morning Monkey dragged himself to the communal room. The only person there was Tripitaka. He did not speak and only briefly glanced at Monkey each time he was addressed. Sandy was nowhere to be seen. The buzz and clamour of the bells was ever more oppressive.

“Take care Master. I’m going to look for somewhere where I can nap and then I will find out what’s happening here. Master?” Monkey got no reply and he left quickly.

Dear Monkey, he may fight and joke but he cares about all his companions. Tripitaka is reciting his mantra in the hall. The white horse is safely stabled with fresher food than Monkey was offered. Sandy still sits by the stream, meditating and Monkey spies Pigsy sunning himself by the hovel. If he were not so proud he might join Pigsy, but instead he finds a tree to climb high out of the benumbing sound and sleep away the day.

That evening Monkey again tried to wake Sandy but to no avail. ”Trouble, trouble, trouble.” muttered Monkey ”This is not good.” He recited an awakening spell and then a spell to raise the newly dead, but Sandy just sat, eyes closed, breathing slowly. “Our Master needs you,” he called and, “Pigsy is eating the White Horse.”

“It looks as though it up to Monkey to save the day again,” thought the Great Sage and ran back to find Tripitaka.

“Ow! Ow! Why are you so cruel today?“ Tripitaka had scarcely noticed Monkey before he was reciting the band-tightening spell.

“You are unruly, you are meddlesome, you disturb me and the sanctity of this place. My disciples must learn to be quiet and discreet.”

“I will be good, Master. Please stop the spell and I will go away and leave you in peace.” Monkey doesn’t bother to eat but retreats to his cell to wait for night to fall.

When all is quiet, all is dark, Monkey pulls out a handful of hairs and whispers, “shange.” All at once his cell is full of tiny, fluffy monkeys, each like a ball of down. “Find the bells,” he says, “find the bells and silence them all.” The chattering monkeylets spin out like new hatched spiders, drifting in the air and first muffling then silencing the sound of bells. The silence is harsh, but Monkey grins and says, “now we find out what’s happening here!”

His legion of fluffy spies has been everywhere and leads him to three sleeping monks. They are still emaciated old men, but now, his mind clear, Monkey can see they are not living but ancient ghosts. “How strange, these ghost should not be hungry ghosts, the local people have given them food and still do, if not the freshest produce. There is a mystery here and I need to find it out.”

Monkey summersaults up and rises on his cloud – so easy now he is able to think clearly – sailing away to the peak of Malika Dhuri. There he spies a cave and a sign reading “Protective female hermit”.  He sails in. “Wake up spirit. I am the Great Sage Equal of Heaven come to declare you have been neglecting your duties. There are unsatisfied ghosts in your valley.”

“What should I be doing? If the rites are completed, I escort the ghosts to the next world. If not then they stay seeking resolution until the mortals do as they should.”

“The farmers and soldiers give food to the hungry ghosts. What more should they do?”

“Here, the custom is to sound bells to announce their departure and for a holy man to say prayers.”

Monkey bows to the hermit. “My thanks, Madam. I believe my Master can give these spirits rest.”

“I have heard of the holy priest and his journey. He can certainly say the prayers. You must ring a bell steadily while your Master prays. Just the one will do. Take care, Great Sage, and keep your Master safe.”

Monkey returns as fast as he can  - and that is fast indeed. “Master, please wake now Master. You have been be-spelled by bells and I must take you to see the monks who did it.”

Tripitaka wakes and though he protests he follows Monkey to where the ghosts are sleeping. His tender heart is touched and he weeps for their captivity.

“Hey Master. There is no need for that. I have seen the hermit of the Empress Mountain and we can free them to move on to the next cycle of life.  If you recite the sutra for the dead and I ring a bell meantime…”

Tripitaka winces.

“The bell is needful, just the one, not the encompassing din of thousands of bells.” He looks thoughtful. “They must have been trying to fulfil the rite, but without your prayers it was useless.”

And now it is simple. Tripitaka chants for the dead, Monkey rings the great bell in the entranceway with his staff, a clear sound announcing that spirits are departing this world, and when they are done there is nothing left but rotting robes to show where three souls had been imprisoned.

As dawn breaks, Sandy returns, relaxed and renewed by his contemplations. The white horse whinnies and they climb up out of the valley to meet with Pigsy and return to their commission.

If you want to know how the warriors’ sovereign received them you will have to listen to another tale.

 


End file.
